BURKINA FASO CRIMINALISES SAME-SEX RELATIONS WITH NEW LAW
New law enforces prison sentences of 2–5 years and fines, as activists warn of declining safety and growing repression
Burkina Faso’s military-led government has passed a new law criminalising same-sex relations, reversing the country’s previous legal stance and placing it among more than half of African states that ban homosexuality.
The law, adopted on 1 September by the transitional parliament, imposes prison sentences of two to five years and fines on those convicted. Foreign nationals found guilty will also face deportation, Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala announced on state media.
Until now, Burkina Faso had been one of 22 African countries where same-sex relations were not outlawed. The change aligns the country with neighbours such as Mali, which passed similar legislation last year.
Human rights groups including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch condemned the move as a violation of fundamental freedoms, warning it could fuel discrimination and drive LGBTQ+ people further underground.
The measure is part of wider reforms by the junta, which has ruled since a 2022 coup and has justified the legislation as defending “marriage and family values.”
Sources: AP News, Amnesty
